The unwanted child
by Tani Hunter
Summary: Yukiko Hyuuga knew that she was unwanted, unloved and alone. She knew she was better off dead. What she didn't know was how wrong she was. AU. Rated T for some language.
1. The unwanted child

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I don't own anything in the Naruto Universe. I do, however, own some of the characters in this story.

**Chapter 1**

Yukiko was an unwanted child. She was the product of a night of drunken passion, she'd been told. Her mother had been separated, but not yet divorced. Her father had been her mother's best friend and confidante. Her mother had returned to her husband and two sons on her friend's urging, not yet knowing that she bore his child. Then there was the night she was born. The night her mother died, but not before naming her Yukiko- Child of Happiness- as she truly hope that this small, premature girl would be. Her mother's husband had wanted nothing to do with her and so she was given to her father who was already a single parent, raising his son alone after the death of his wife a year before. Then her father was gone, having died in a freak construction site accident as he was doing safety checks for the business he and his twin brother ran, leaving his two young children orphans and in the care of his brother. Yukiko knew that her mother's husband hated her and blamed her for the death of his wife, thereby refusing to allow her near his two children until her oldest half brother (who was 7 years older than his brother) started wanting to know why they couldn't see their own little sister. He had then grudgingly allowed her to come to birthday parties and allowed them to hers. The fact that they got along so well only fueled his anger. She knew that this man was the reason why she had to go to a school in a different city because he wouldn't allow her in the same school as his children and her father (and later her uncle) refused to send her to second-rate schools. Don't get it wrong, she loved her school, but she wanted to be close to her brother(s) and cousins. So every year she begged and pleaded with her father and/or uncle to let her go to the same school as her older brother, but every year she was told that she couldn't. She'd have to wait for high school, which was when the provision ended (thanks to her eldest brother, although she didn't know it). But what Yukiko **didn't** know was how her uncle and her mother's husband (who was his greatest business rival, as well as his close friend) fought every year a week before school started, regarding where to send her. What she **didn't** know was that the endless nights when she cried herself to sleep didn't go unheeded by the others in the house, particularly her brother and older cousin (the latter would consequently cry herself to sleep out of pure helplessness, while the former would go to the basement to train in martial arts to get rid of his pent up emotions). What she **didn't** know was that her uncle, brothers, cousins and brothers' cousins (who she was also very close to) watched her with growing anxiety as, year by year, they saw her pent up emotions slowly start to get to her. What she **didn't** know was that they knew about her "emo" tendencies as well as her self hatred and that every time she hurt herself (physically or figuratively) she hurt them too. Yes, Yukiko **knew** that she was a hated, unwanted child who was just a burden to her 'family' and therefore better off dead. They would probably all be happier without her there. What she **didn't **know was how wrong this assumption was and that she was not as unloved and unwanted as she seemed to think.

* * *

Eleven year old Neji Hyuuga was having a restless night, tossing this way and that, as he did every year the week before school, knowing that his uncle had gone to see that absolute asshole the night before to ask, as he did every. single. damn. year to allow his little sister to go to the same school as Neji, Hinata and Hanabi did. And every year the afore mentioned asshole said no. He didn't want the child in his sons' lives anymore than she already was (even though his eldest was in his last year of school). He knew that with every passing year it got more and more difficult and unlikely that Yukiko would be allowed into the school as it was a small, private school in Konoha town where all the children of the elite went. Konoha Preparatory was a smart, snobby, upper-class school that had a pre-primary, primary, secondary and high school department. The classes started fairly large, then gradually got smaller as you went up the school, the main criteria being grade point average and good behaviour. Although the influence of the children's parents counted a lot too. Which was one of the main reasons why Yukiko wasn't allowed in. Although the headmaster wasn't against it, that complete and utter **ASSHOLE** who was the root of all Yukiko's problems had the **ENTIRE** school board in his side pocket! The other main problem was that the children who had been there since preschool got priority when it came to getting into the school each year, and meant that other children very rarely got in unless they had **very** good recommendations from their previous school board. So, yeah, to say that Neji was having a restless night was an understatement. He was dreading the morning, knowing that Yukiko would ask if she could go to Konoha instead of Suna (as she did every. single. damn. year) and that he, Yukiko, Hinata and Hanabi would wait with bated breath as his uncle unwillingly dropped his bombshell (as he did every. single. damn. year), crushing their hopes that this would be the year the asshole relented and allowed her to go to their school (as it did Every. Single. Damn. Year). This would result in a deafening and awkward silence descending on the breakfast table (as it did Every. Single. **Damn**. Year). Yukiko would then excuse herself from the table, followed shortly by Hinata, who would come back to the dining room in tears because Yukiko had shut herself in her room and refused to unlock the bedroom door (as she did _Every_. _Single_. _**Damn**_. _Year_). This would result in Neji losing his temper and calling the said asshole a whole lot of good choice names that became more and more colourful with each passing year and would result in his uncle "punishing" him by ordering him to his room without food or television for the remainder of the day (a pretty pathetic attempt at a punishment since his uncle always conveniently forgot to unplug the cable of the television in Neji's room, while Hanabi and Hinata would 'sneak' food to Neji's room [often right under Hiashi's nose] while his uncle pretended not to notice) as he did _EVERY. SINGLE. **DAMNED**. _**YEAR**! Neji punched his pillow in frustration as he turned onto his stomach. He checked the alarm clock sitting on his bedside table. 2:45am. Damn. Neji sighed and sat up, dropping his feet into his slippers. He then got up wondering whether to go to the basement dojo or get something to eat when his stomach clenched and made a squeaking sound. Chuckling to himself, Neji headed out the door and down to the enormous kitchen, grabbing his dressing gown as he went. As he stepped off the second floor stairs and noticed a light flickering in the game den on the ground floor.

_What the..._Neji thought, his light grey eyes narrowing into slits.

He proceeded down the stairs as quickly and quietly as his slippered feet would let him and turned left as he left the staircase, stopping at the third room on his right, the door of which was slightly open, as if someone hadn't wanted to make noise and had squeezed themself in. Neji followed suite and saw that the television was on (the sound turned down low) and that a young girl was seated on a small lounging couch in front of it. As his eyes adjusted to the faint light coming from the flickering television screen, Neji saw that the said girl had her hair in a short Chinese-bob style with the front ends coming to past her chin and a fringe hanging down to above her eyes. This would mean that it was either his cousin, Hinata or his sister, Yukiko. As Neji edged forward, not wanting to scare the girl, he noticed that her short sleeved dressing gown was open, revealing her t-shirt and shorts pajama set. Yukiko then, Neji decided, as he knew Hinata, who was painfully shy, would never _dream _of showing this much flesh in a thousand years, preferring nightgowns that came to her ankles with three-quarter length sleeves. How she ever managed to get any sleep in those things was beyond Neji's understanding, but apparently she did. Neji moved a little closer to the couch.

"Yukiko?" He asked quietly, not wanting to scare her, but smiling ruefully nonetheless when she started and her head shot up in his direction.

To her credit, Yukiko didn't scream and wake the entire house. Neji could well imagine how angry their uncle would be if she had and then the reason was only Neji. Then again, Yukiko hardly ever screamed, unless it was one of her night-time terrors... and then Neji sincerely wished that she wouldn't because those shrill screams were truly terrifying for the boy and his cousins. They were filled with fear and anguish to such an extent that even Hiashi winced when he came running into her room when a hysterical Hinata had run to him for help because she and Neji couldn't get Yukiko to wake, while little Hanabi would watch from the doorway with large eyes and the servants shifted uneasily behind her, wanting to help the distressed child, but not knowing what to do. Ultimately Hiashi would tell the servants to go back to bed (after putting the remaining three children back in bed) and he would remain with Yukiko for the remainder of the night.

"Neji?" Yukiko asked with wide eyes, taking in the dressing gowned form in front of her, trying to calm her heart. "What're you doing up at this hour?"

She heard her older brother chuckle as he sat down next to her and turned to her with a smirk and lazily lifted eyebrow that she couldn't see but knew was there. She knew her older brother very well.

"Shouldn't _I _be the one asking _you _that, little sister?" Neji asked teasingly as he smiled at his 10 year old sister.

Yukiko grinned back and punched Neji playfully in the arm for his retort, then shrugged.

"I couldn't sleep." She said as nonchalantly as possible, knowing full well that her insomnia was a growing cause of alarm for her family. "You?"

_Not that they really care. _She reminded herself, watching her brother as he searched her face (so like his and Hinata's but with deliberate differences) with a slight frown on his face, as if trying to find the answers there.

"Same here." Neji said at last. "I was on my way down to the kitchens to grab a snack when I noticed the flickering lights coming from this room."

Yukiko blanched. Neji was still giving her that piercing gaze as if trying to determine the real reason why his little half-sister couldn't sleep.

_Damn it! I _knew_ I should've shut the damn door!_

"Yes, well. As you can see, I'm fine!" Yukiko said as airily as possile. "Nothing to worry about."

"Yoko..." Neji growled out, making Yukiko wince slightly.

Yoko (meaning child of sunlight) had been their father's pet name for Yukiko, since he had really considered her the sunlight in his life. Nowadays it was the nickname used by Neji and their uncle, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt every time they used it. Yukiko still missed her dad- even though it had been a year since he'd died, she still missed him. Neji looked a lot like him and looking at him was sometimes painful for the young girl. Of course, this also meant that there were days when looking at her uncle was downright torture, since Hiashi was Hizashi's splitting image.

"Don't call me that!"

"Why not?" Neji seemed genuinely surprised, as she had never seemed to care before.

"Because I'm not sunlight, I'm darkness."

"Yoko, don't you _ever _say that again." Neji said in a deathly serious voice. "You _are_ sunlight, you just can't see it."

Just then _both _their stomachs growled. Nor were they the only ones to do so. They both heard the squeak and rumble of stomachs after theirs were quiet. They turned towards the sound.

"Who's there?" Yukiko asked, wairily.

No answer.

"We _know _you're there!" Neji said.

Still no sound.

"Maybe you should go call uncle Hiashi, Neji." Yukiko said.

At this there was a quiet squeal and two figures appeared, one almost half the size of the other.

"Hinata, Hanabi? What are you two doing, hiding there?" Yukiko asked.

"Ha-Hanabi came to me and said she was hungry, so I was coming down here to make her a sn-snack when we saw the light." Hinata said in her quiet, unsure voice. "Th-then we saw you two talking and I-I d-didn't th-think we sh-should i-interrupt."

Hinata seemed to get more nervous as she finished explaining, which was evident by her increase in stuttering.

"It's ok, Hinata." Yukiko said, smiling at her older cousin. "Why don't you two come sit here and Neji will get us some snacks."

Neji turned to his sister.

"And _why_ do _I _have to be the one to get the snacks?"

"Because you're the only boy."

Neji folded his arms over his chest and glowered at Yukiko.

"Try again." He growled.

"B-because you're the b-best bi-big b-brother ever and love to do th-things for us?" Hinata ventured with a nervous giggle.

"Humph."

Neji still seemed unimpressed, though Yukiko was sure he had smiled. Well, as sure as she could be in the flickering light of the television. His arms seemed less tense around his chest, at any rate.

"Oh, come on, Neji. Please?" She wheedled.

"What do I get out of this?" Neji asked with his eyes narrowed.

"Um... a snack." Yukiko pointed out. "Which, by the way, _you_ wanted in the _first _place."

"Touché." Neji acknowledged her point in their verbal spar. "But, that still doesn't mean I have to get snacks for the rest of you!"

"Aw, come on, Neji! You know that if we _all _go in there, someone is bound to make a noise!" Yukiko grumbled.

Neji opened his mouth to retort but his sister beat him to it.

"And besides, Hanabi is also hungry." Yukiko told her brother. "You heard her stomach growl."

"A-and y-you kn-know h-how Hanabi-chan gets when she mis-misses a snack!" Hinata, who had cottoned on to Yukiko's plan, said as she picked up her little sister so that Neji could see her more clearly.

The little 5 year old looked angelically at her older cousin who was eyeing her apprehensively. Hanabi was known for being able to cry at the drop of a hat. The toddler began to scrunch up her face and Neji's eyes widened in alarm. Hanabi was also known for making a ruckus so loud that Neji was sure they could hear it in Suna, a town 3 hours away. If she started screaming now, they would all get into trouble, not only for waking up the household but for being out of bed so early in the morning. And although he was only Hinata's senior by 5 months, Neji knew that he would be the one expected to bear the responsibility if the worst should happen. Neji's sister and younger cousin were watching the alarm spread on the boy's face with amusement. When Neji seemed rooted to the spot, Hinata shook her sister very slightly, and the 5 year old started sniffing dramatically. This had the desired effect. Neji immediately held up his hands towards his youngest cousin in a way that was both placating and seemingly trying to hold off a storm.

"Ok, Ok, you win!" Neji said quickly. "I'll get the snacks! Just don't let her cry, or we'll _all _get into trouble!"

Smiling slightly, Hinata carried her sister to another couch and Yukiko helped her to push it towards the one she had been sitting on while they giggled as a grumbling Neji went to go get snacks. When he came back, the three girls were seated waiting for him to start a movie. Neji put the snacks on a table that had been pulled forward while Hinata pressed play to start the movie. She then sat next to Hanabi, while Neji took a seat next to Yukiko and the four of them watched Disney's The Lion King.

* * *

This is where an early servant found them several hours later as she went to the kitchen to start breakfast. Stifling a giggle, the girl ran to Hiashi's study, where she knew the head of the household would be at 7 in the morning. Since he always rose early, he spent the first few hours in his study going over projects and marketing strategies for his business. When the maid came in, stating she wanted to show him something, Hiashi was a little annoyed at the interruption. His annoyance grew when she lead him to the children's den to show him something which he didn't catch immediately. However, when he saw what she had wanted to show him, Hiashi's annoyance disappeared immediately, replaced by dignified amusement. Nodding at the still giggling girl, Hiashi smiled. The girl curtsied and backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. Hiashi then walked over to the source of the servant girl's amusement. The four children were sound asleep. On the couch on Hiashi's left lay the brother-sister duo. Or rather, Yukiko was lying on her back, covering most of the couch, her head lying on a pillow which was placed on Nej's stomach. Her left arm was curled up to her face while her left foot hung off the side. Her right arm lay by her side on top of the blanket she was sleeping under while her right foot stuck up on the arm rest. Her reddish black hair framed her face in the exact same cut style as his daughter. Hiashi had to admit, the two of them were almost identical. They even managed to fool _him _sometimes. Until they started speaking. One would always know which was his mild-mannered daughter as soon as they spoke. Neji was in a seated position, half slouching on the couch, his head turned to the right with his right hand on his sister's chest. The left lay limply by his side as he slept, his black hair (which reached just below his shoulders) was spread out behind his head. His left foot was resting on the table in front of him, empty plates and tumblers stacked neatly next to the table on the floor, while the right was currently residing on the floor, a blue blanket next to it- both having fallen off some point during the 'night'. Hiashi bent down and carefully covered the young boy without waking him. On the couch on his right lay Hiashi's own daughters. Hanabi was lying on the couch on her side, her head on a pillow on Hinata's lap. Her right hand was at her head with her little thumb securely inserted into her mouth.

_At some point I'll have to remedy that and break this little habit of hers. _

Hanabi's left hand was positioned up on Hinata's lap, slightly above her head. Hinata was sitting with both her feet on the floor. Her right arm was positioned under the pillow on the arm rest, while her left lay in her lap, loosely holding her little sister's. With a smile Hiashi carefully bend down and kissed both his daughters on their foreheads, without waking them. He then did the same to his niece while gently ruffling his nephew's hair, chuckling quietly as this drew a scrunch nosed response from the latter. The boy was only eleven and he _already _fussed about his hair. With that the Hyuuga family patriarch left the den, pausing on the thresh hold to smile at the four sleeping children before opening the door and closing it behind him with a quiet snap.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed reading this. If you have any thoughts, questions concerns I'd love to hear them!**

**Yukiko: **Oy! Don't forget to tell them to review!

**Neji:**_ (smirking) _I think you just _did_.

**Yukiko: (**_Sticks out tongue)_


	2. Usual situations unusual ends

I don't own Naruto, just a few of my own characters in this fic...

**Chapter 2**

**Yukiko's POV**

It was three days after my uncle Hiashi had told Neji, Hinata and Hanabi and I that, once again, I would not be allowed to go to Konoha Prep where Neji, Hinata and even little Hanabi-chan went. Big surprise, not! I seriously wondered why my uncle even still tried. It was as if he was hoping that the dumb bastard would suddenly change his mind. As if. If there was something that that family produced, it was proud, arrogant and stubborn men. My two older brothers were as stubborn as their father. But not as arrogant- at least, not yet... But I'm digressing... Where was I? Oh yes, three days ago...

* * *

So, anyway, like I said, **big** surprise when I was told that I would have to wait another year. As always, Hinata looked like the end of the world had come, and Neji divulged some of his more, er, **colourful **phrases which was nothing new, except he swore so badly that I thought our uncle would have an apoplectic fit! He actually lectured Neji for a full half hour on the proper use of language and that it was nothing more than sacrilege (uncle's word... whatever that means) for someone to defile it with swear words, especially one as young as Neji. And for the first time in our lives, our uncle actually came through on his threat of punishment and sent Neji to his room, but not before he sent a servant to disconnect Neji's television and clean-out any electronic devices, since Neji was officially in 'time-out'. And this was not the only thing that happened that was out of whack with how things normally ran at this time of year, just before school starts. Normally, after Neji was 'sent' to his room, I would excuse myself and run to my room to cry while everyone sat in the kitchen, too awkward to do anything else. But that day... After Neji had left the table to his room, Hanabi-chan suddenly started crying, and anyone who has heard that little girl cry knows that she was inherited an impressive pair of lungs, since she doesn't cry as much as wail- at top volume...

"Hanabi, what's wrong?" uncle Hiashi asked, all but yelling to be heard of the din of Hanabi's screeching wails.

"Pa-pa-papa m-made m-m-m-me cr-cry! " Hanabi answered, clearly upset.

"What? Why? What did I do?" my uncle asked as a servant came to take the small girl away until she was finished crying, but this only made it worse.

Not only did it up the volume of wails to the point where Hanabi was almost screaming, but the little girl started kicking and flailing her little arms in the air to such an extent that she was in danger of being dropped as she built up to her temper tantrum.

"Put her down!" uncle Hiashi demanded and the servant immediately complied.

Uncle then turned to his youngest daughter.

"What did I do, Hanabi?" he asked in a gentler tone, although he clearly disapproved of such 'public displays' of emotion, as could be seen by the frown on his face.

"Pa-pa-papa ye-ye-yelled at Ne-ne-neji!" Hanabi finally choked out. "Pa-pa-papa ma-ma-made m-m-me cr-cry!"

"Neji made papa angry." Uncle said at a normal volume, since Hanabi's temper-tantrum seemed to be disappearing as quickly as it had started (maybe she was running out of steam, maybe she had a sore throat from all that screaming, maybe she was choking from the snot plugged up her nose... maybe it was all three.. hehehe). "He said a very, very bad word. Actually quite a few very bad words."

Hanabi gave a loud (and really gross) sniff and glared at her father.

"I don't care." she said. "Papa is a big meanie for yelling at Neji and I don't like Papa anymore."

And with that Hanabi hopped off her chair and ran upstairs, slamming her bedroom door behind her. And then another strange thing happened. Without excusing herself, shy, polite Hinata actually threw her father a dirty look as if everything was his fault before leaving the table without saying a word. Finally it was just the two of us left. I pushed my chair back.

"May I be excused?" I asked my uncle, who nodded slightly, a slight frown on his face.

I walked upstairs to my room and closed the door behind me. I thought about all the strange things that had happened at the breakfast table and I remembered _why_ our breakfast had been so, um, _interesting_. I threw myself on the bed and did the only normal thing that happened at this time of year, every year. I cried. Once I was finished, I noticed a letter lying on my desk. I got up and saw that it was a letter from my best friend at school. I grabbed my letter knife from the pot of stationary on my desk (my uncle had given me this after I had complained about papercuts, but only after I had promised to be careful) and slit open the envelope, nicking my left forefinger in the process. I watched the blood droplet well-up on my finger,then took the letter knife and, using the point, I drew it up the length of the soft underpart of my left forearm. The cut wa not deep, but it still drew blood and stung a little.

_I deserve this pain after the pain I put my family through this morning..._

After watching the blood droplets for a while, I went into my on-suite bathroom and grabbed some toilet paper. And as I wet the toilet paper and cleaned the scratch, I promised myself I would never cry again.

* * *

The day after the incident, my uncle had driven me to Suna, since school would begin in a few days. My uncle and I had booked into a hotel until I would be allowed into the school Hostel dormitories. This morning my uncle had woken me up early and told me to dress nicely as I had a meeting with the school principal. Of course, seeing the school's principal is every student's nightmare, especially if your parent or guardian is going to be going with you. But I wasn't really a trouble maker and generally got along with others at Suna School of Arts. Besides, I had a pretty good report card. So I was curious as to why Mr Baki, the principal, wanted to see me and more than a little nervous. I nervously ran my hand over the scratch I had cut into my arm- and my uncle noticed!

"Yoko, what's that?" He asked, frowning slightly.

"Nothing, uncle Hiashi." I said, guiltily trying to hide my arm and cursing my stupidity.

It was the height of summer, and Suna was always about 5 degrees warmer than Konoha, so it was no surprise that I was wearing a short-sleeved blouse and a fromal 3-quarter pants (I don't do skirts or dresses!) and, of course my scratch was showing. My uncle grabbed my wrist in a tight grip that, although not painful, I had no hope of escaping. He inspected the scratch that marked my skin, and I was thankful that I had inherited the quick-healing body of the Hyuuga's. In a few more days the mark would disappear and there would be no evidence of my self-inflicted pain. But, right now, I had to face my uncle who was a shrewed man and who knew more than he let on.

"What happened?" uncle Hiashi asked.

"I slipped off the stool the day before yesterday as I was taking a photo off my wall and I scratched myself on the nail the frame was hanging on." I lied quickly, hoping he would buy my story and grateful that it had, at least, some measure of truth in it.

"Mmmm." my uncle said as he narrowed his light grey eyes and I resisted the urge to squirm.

He was silent for a full three minutes (I'm left handed, so I was keeping track, as my wristwatch is on my right wrist!) then he let go of my arm.

"Well, try to be a little more careful next time."

"Yes, uncle. I will."

And luckily (for me!) he left it at that. I let out the breath I hadn't known I was holding and closed my eyes. Even though Neji and I both looked a lot like our father (and, by extension, like uncle Hiashi and Hinata) my hair colour, eye colour and eye-shape were inherited from my mother. My hair was black at first glance, but on closer inspection (particularly in the sunlight) one would realise that it was, in fact, a deep, blood red. My father, uncle, brother and cousins all had either black hair or dark,chocolate brown. And, while their eyes were a wide, almond shape and either a blue as light as the sky or so light grey it appeared white, mine were a thinner almond shape and a dark, stormy grey-blue. Anyway, I guess I must've dozed off, because the next thing I knew, my uncle was gently shaking me awake.

"Yoko, wake up. We're here!"

With that I sat up in my seat, undid my seatbelt and hopped out of the door the driver was holding open for me. As I waited while my uncle gave the driver a few last-minute instructions, I looked up at my school. Suna School of the Arts was small if you compared it to Konoha Prep but still large enough to accomodate a primary and high school department as well as outside students who attended various forms of classes as extramurial activities. It was a pretty reddish-orange facebrick and white building with a large arc opening ino the school's foyer with smaller 'wings' branching out on either side and moving back (much like the walls of a castle) and about 5 stories high. The bottom story was offices, the gymnasium, the school hall, the infirmary and the school caferteria. The second, third and fourth stories were a combination of various studios and classrooms while the fifth floor was the 'presidential suite'- the lounge and offices of the school student counsil and the principal. And this was exactly where we were heading. There was another smaller building on the otherside of the vast sports grounds that served as a hostel for those who lived outside Suna's borders- like me, for example. My uncle finished his instructions and smiled at me.

"Well, Yoko, are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

My uncle chuckled slightly, but whether this was in response to what I'd said or the look of determination on my face (which, I was later told, was reminiscent of a man being lead to the gallows!) I'll never know. And with that we walked into the school building.

* * *

**Yukiko:**Is there a reason I have to go see Mr Baki?

**Me: **Yes.

**Yukiko: **_hesitates _Is it... a _good_ reason?

**Me: **Yes...

**Yukiko: **So, I'm not in trouble...?

**Me: **_smiling _Nope.

**Yukiko: **_Muttering _Well, _that's _a relief...

**Hiashi: **_smiling _You've really been _that _worried...?

**Yukiko: **_embarressed silence_

**Me:** _smiling secretively _Well, you'll just wait and see...

**Hiashi:** _smiling _Please review.


	3. A little intervention

**Sorry I've taken so long to update this story, but I've gotten a little lost on the road of Life as Kakashi would say, what with work, Life and all the rest... Hope you enjoy it! I do not own anything in Naruto except my own characters. Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi.**

**Chapter 3**

Hinata Hyuuga was depressed. There was no other word for it. She knew that she should never have gotten her hopes up but she had had a feeling that this year was going to be different. That maybe that man would relent and Yukiko could finally go to Konoha Prep. But nothing had changed. No, this year something had been different. Their reactions had changed. Her father had actually followed through on disiplining Neji, Hanabi had glared at their father and _she_ who was Hinata had actually given him a dirty look before leaving the table without a word. Hinata groaned. It was the last day of summer holidays! She should be enjoying herself, but she just didn't feel motivated to phone and ask her best friend what she was doing. But Hinata knew that she had to get out of the house. The atmosphere here was suffocating to say the least. Neji was still in time out and probably would be until her father got back day after tomorrow. Hanabi was too young to be good company and was out for the day at her friend Ai's house anyway. And Yukiko was already in Suna, a town 3 hours away by car. Hinata groaned again as she lay in her room staring at her ceiling. Just as she was motivating herself to go to the den to watch t.v, her room phone rang. Noticing that it came from the lobby switchboard, Hinata answered it without much enthusiasm.

"Hinata."

"Miss Hinata, there is a young friend of yours on the line, should I buzz through the call?" the voice of one of the maids asked.

"Sure."

Hinata sat up. Then she remembered her manners.

"I mean, yes please." Hinata amended, facepalming at her momentary laps of decorum.

"Right away then, young miss." The maid's voice sounded a little amused.

"Thank you." Hinata waited as the call came through.

She didn't have to wait too long. Soon the enthusiastic voice of her best friend came from the other line.

"Hi Hinata! Whatcha doing?"

"Hello Ino. Are you well?" Hinata greeted her friend.

Laughter sounded at the other end.

"Oh, Hinata. As formal as always." Ino answered her friend. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"I am well, thank you." Hinata responded.

"That's good." Ino replied. "So, whatchya doing?"

"Ino, it's 'what _are _you doing?' not 'whatchya doing?'" Hinta said patiently, only to be met with more laughter.

"Well, _excuuuuuuuuuse _moi, Ms Grammer-Nazi!" Ino teased lightly. "But isn't it a little early for the English lesson? After all, school doesn't start until tomorrow."

"I can't help it if my father wants us to speak properly." Hinata defended herself. "He is_ Hiashi Hyuuga _after all."

"Hey! My father is influential too, ya know!" Ino pointed out.

This much was true. Inoichi Yamanaka. Hiashi Hyuuga. Fugaku Uchiha. These three men pretty much held the monopoly of businesses in Konoha. Ino's father owned several supermarkets and florists shops. Hinata's father was into real estate and the Hotel industry, while Mr. Uchiha was restuarants and entertainment. While the three men were partners and sometimes rivals in business, they were also friends and encouraged their children to be too.

"'Hay is for cows...'" Hinata began.

"'Oats is cheaper. Grass is free.'" Ino finished. "I know, I know! Geez, you sound like my mom! I swear she is this close to sending me to Iwa to this snobby finishing school!"

This time it was Hinata's turn to laugh as she tried to imagine her best friend- who was very much a tomboy- learning how to be a lady.

"Now _that _I would love to see." Hinata teased.

"Uh-huh. I know, right?" Ino agreed. "So, are ya doing anything or not?"

"Well, no not really." Hinata admitted. "Hanabi is at a friend's house, my dad's taken Yukiko to Suna and Neji is still in time out."

"Cool, I'll come save you from your boredom in one hour." Ino announced.

"What?" Hinata panicked. "No, Ino, wait ju-"

"One hour." Ino said again.

With that the young blond heiress was gone and all Hinata could do was wonder at her friend's audacity and listen to the dial tone. Then realising she only had about 59 minutes of Ino's promised hour left, she started scrambling to be ready on time. Because if there was one thing the blond haired Yamanaka couldn't stand, it was being made to wait.

* * *

An hour later and a maid came and knocked lightly on Hinata's door.

"Enter."

"Begging your pardon, miss, but there is someone to see you." the maid said politely.

"Who is it?"

"You know very well who it is."

Ino barged into the room, all but shoving the poor maid out of her way. She stood in front of Hinata with her hands on her hips and impatiently tapped her toes and Hinata had to wonder yet again how this rather loud and boisterous girl was her best friend. It just went to show that opposites really did attract.

"Come ON, Hinata, we're gonna be late!"

Ino grabbed her best friend's hand and tugged her from her room. Hinata just managed to grab her small shoulder bag before being whisked out of the room and dragged down the stairs, the maid closing the door behind the two girls with a small shake of her head.

"Late for what?" Hinata asked, startled by Ino's aggressive behaviour.

"You'll see." Ino through over her shoulder with a sly grin. As she dragged her best friend down the last few stairs to the foyer, Ino saw a tall, blond-haired man in a well tailored suite, his long hair in a high pony tail, waiting with his back to the stairwell.

"We're finally here, daddy!" Ino yelled, jumping the last few stairs and nearly sending both Hinata and herself crashing to the floor.

The man grabbed the girls before either got hurt.

"Be more careful, Ino." Inoichi Yamanaka reprimanded his daughter. "And don't yell in the house."

"Yes, daddy." Ino grinned sheepishly.

"Good morning, Mr Yamanaka." Hinata shyly smiled at her father's friend.

"Good morning, Hinata." Inoichi smiled warmly at the shy heiress. "I hope you're well? And I apologise for my daughter dragging you around "

"Yes, sir." Hinata smiled. "And don't worry, I'm used to it by now."

"OK, OK, I'm sorry that I almost caused Sunflower to faceplant in her own home." Ino said very fast. "Now can we please, GO!"

With that Ino started dragging Hinata out the door, to her father's amusement and the servants' horror.

"I'll have her back before 6' o clock tonight." Inoichi told the head butler. "Her father knows."

"Very good, sir." The butler agreed. "Master Hyuuga already let us know. About the young master too."

Inoichi nodded.

"See you later then."

With that he walked out of the door to the black lamborgini standing in the yard, in which the two girls were currently waiting and drove out the gates.

* * *

**Ino:**Sorry again for almost letting you fall, Hina.

**Hinata: **(_smiling_) It's alright. Ino. Can you just tell me where we're going?

**Ino: **(_grins evilly_) Nope, sorry. It's a secret.

**Hinata: **Can you at least give me a clue?

**Ino: **Well, let's just say, it's a good thing it's summer.

**Hinata: **Huh?

**Inoichi: **Please review.


	4. Meeting up with friends

**A/N: **The usual... I don't own Naruto except for my own OCs!

**Chapter 4**

Hinata's question to where they were going was soon answered when Ino's father pulled up infront of a large building which was a favourite spot with the children of the town and one of the few places that those children of influential families could be safely left to their own devices because of the high level of security. When Inoichi pulled into the parking lot, he pulled up next to an expensive mercedes benz. Two girls leapt out of the Merc as soon as Inoichi's car parked next to theirs. One was a strawberry blond with bright green eyes, her long hair pulled back by an aliceband. The other was a brunette, her chocolate brown hair tied into twin buns on the sides of her head, her coffee brown eyes sparkling with exciement and mischief.

"What took you so long, Ino-pig!" the strawberry blond yelled at Ino as soon as the said blond exited the car.

"Shut up, billbaord-brow brow, it wasn't my fault ya know!" Ino retorted with a grin as she hugged the strawberry blond.

"Hey, shy-little-violet, how're you?" the strawberry blond turned to Hinata once she had finished hugging Ino and hugged her and Ino hugged her friend.

"Hello, Sakura, it's so nice to see you again!" Hinata responded shyly as she hugged the girl back.

Sakura laughed. She was as naturally bubbly as Ino was and Hinata had always thought it strange that she and Ino had not become closer friends than what they were. Ino had once saved Sakura from bullies and had brought the crying girl to the spot under the trees wher she always had lunch with her best friend. Ino had introduced Sakura to Hinata and the three had shared a close friendship since. However, Hinata soon found that Ino and Sakura were often at loggerheads, since they were both strong-willed, determined and competitive and viewed each other as rivals as well as friends. Perhaps that was the reason they never became best friends the way Ino and Hinata were- they were just too similar.

"Oh Hinata, always so polite!" Sakura teased.

I know, right." Ino agreed as she finished greeting the girl with the twin buns.

The said girl looked at Hinata curiously and Hinata dropped her gaze to the floor shyly, blushing slightly.

"Yo, Sake, Piglet, who's your friend?" The brunette asked in a genial way.

"Oh, right! You two don't know each other yet!" Ino exclaimed, mentally facepalming herself.

"Way to go, Ino-pig!" Sakura giggled.

"Shut it, billboard- brow!" Ino retorted.

Since the other two were engaged in a glaring contest, the brunette stepped forward to introduce herself.

"Hiya. The name's Ten-Ten. Ten-Ten Kurokaze." The girl said in a friendly manner as she stuck out her hand to Hinata.

"N-nice t-to m-meet you, T-ten-Ten. I'm H-h-hinata H-hyuuga." Hinata stuttered shyly as she shook Ten-Ten's hand and blushing profusely from a combination of nerves, shyness and mortification at stuttering so badly in front of a new acquaintance.

Ten-ten smiled kindly.

"I can see why Sake calls you 'shy-little-violet' even though your name means 'Sunflower'." she said, causing Hinata to blush even more.

"Cut it out, Tenny-bear!" Sakura chided her in a friendly manner.

"Yeah, Panda." Ino agreed. "You're gonna make Hime's head explode if you make her go any redder than she already is!"

Hinata turned her red face to her best friend.

"Way to make a girl feel better." Hinata told her heatedly. "Ino-pig!"

Ino gaped at her best friend as Sakura roared with laughter and even Ten-ten joined in.

"It would seem that you are like her in more than just your looks, Hinata." Ten-ten giggled. "I wondered."

"More like who?" Ino wondered, turning to her friend.

"Black Ruby." Ten-Ten answered. "At least that's what they call her back home..."

"Back home?" Sakura questioned, confused.

"You're from Suna?" Hinata asked softly, her face and her voice unusually somber.

Ten-Ten turned to her and hesitated slightly before nodding. Sakura's face still showed confusion but Ino's eyes widened in sudden understanding.

"You're a cousin?" Ino asked suddenly, earning a confused look from Sakura and a warning glare from Hinata.

Ten-ten shook her head slightly, not taking her eyes off Hinata.

"A cousin of her cousins." she replied. "But we were fairly close."

"What're you guys on about?" Sakura asked, confused by the sudden air of comadarie between her friends.

"It's best if you don't know." Ten-ten turned to her. "That way you can't be hurt if you're not involved."

"Besides, it doesn't matter." Ino joined in quickly. "We're here to cheer Hime up, aren't we?"

"Yeah, isn't that why the three of you kidnapped me?" Hinata teased, happy to find a way to distract the pinkhaired girl from the dangerous path she was treading on.

"You're right!" Sakura exclaimed and turned to her mother, who was talking to Ino's father while the four girls got aquainted. "Mom, we're going to go now."

Her mother turned to her daughter. She had the same strawberry blond hair (although hers was a shade darker) and green eyes as Sakura.

"Okay, honey." her mother said. "Just remember not to talk to strangers and I'll come get you at 5:00, alright?"

Sakura hugged her mom and nodded her compliance. Ten-Ten hugged her too as Ino said goodbye to her father.

"Thanks for the ride and everything, Dr Haruno!" Ten-ten grinned enthusiastically.

"You're welcome Ten-Ten." Dr Haruno smiled. "Take good care of my little girl!"

"Don't you worry Doc, ol' billboard-brow's safe with us!" Ino enthused.

"Shut UP, Ino-PIG!" Sakura huffed, slapping Ino's shoulder.

Said girl would have face planted into the pavement, had her father not caught his daughter at the last second.

"Really Sakura!" her mother laughed as Ino turned to glare at her friend. "You're as bad as your aunt Tsunade!"

"Pehaps we should go before the boxing gloves come out?" Hinata suggested tentatively.

"Couldn't agree with you more, Sunny!" Ten-Ten laughed.

Hinata seemed suprised and stared at Ten-Ten and at how easily and naturally she'd come up with a nickname. While Hinata was gaping at Ten-Ten, Ino turned to her father.

"We'll see you later, daddy!" She said as she hugged him again and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"I'll come and get you and Hinata at about 5:00 too, as I told her butler I'd have her home at around 6:00." Inoichi smiled.

"Goodbye Mr Yamanaka." Hinata said shyly. "And thank you."

"Goodbye Hinata." Inoichi said, "And it's the least I can do, since you put up with my daughter."

"Daddy!" Ino wa horrified at what her father had said.

"I couldn't agree more." Sakura's mother's eyes twinkled with mischief. "After all, you're the one who keeps my baby toeing the line!"

"Mom!" Sakura blushed.

"I try. But they make it so difficult sometimes." Hinata smiled slyly. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm their friend!"

"HINATA!"

Ten-Ten, Hinata, Inoichi and Sakura's mother all burst out laughing at their indignation.

"Well" Ten-Ten said as she wiped her eyes clear of the tears the laughter had brought to them. "Shall we go?"

"Indeed we shall." Hinata's eyes caught sight of a pendant around Ten-Ten's neck and that, along with Ten-Ten's buns, gave her sudden inspiration. "Po!"

Sakura and Ino laughed at the slightly appraising, slightly amused look on Ten-Ten's face at her new nickname and waving goodbye and calling farewell's to the parents one last time, the four girls crossed at the crossing and entered the mall.

* * *

**Ten-Ten: **Po?

**Hinata: **Yup.

**Ten-Ten: **What the- why'd you call me that?

**Hinata: **Why not?

**Me: **(_worriedly stepping in_) You'll find out soon!  
_**  
**_**Ino: **(_smirking_) Yeah, so calm down, Panda!  
**  
****Sakura: **(_as Ten-Ten stalks off fuming_) Want to bet on who wins this fight?

**Ino: **(_taking out a booklet and pen_) Hell yeah!

_Ten-Ten returns with boxing gloves and tosses a pair to Hinata, who looks frantic._

**Me: **(_stepping in between them to protect Hinata_) Ten-Ten! Don't you think you're taking this a little _too _far?

_Ten-Ten huffs and glares at Hinata, crossing her hands over her chest._

**Me: **(_turns to the giggling duo_) As for you two, _NO _bookying!

_They sigh dsgruntledly as Ino snaps her booklet shut._

**Hinata: **_(__looks relieved_) Please review!


	5. Friends to the rescue!

**A/N: Sorry for all the filler chapters... I just thought it would be interesting to see what the others were doing while Yukiko was in Suna, I just didn't think that it would take this long. But, this is the way I'll be writing the story- writing the original story, then deviating to filler chapters- at least until the two sides collide. If anyone has ay thoughts or suggestions, then I'd be glad to hear them! Thanks! And enjoy! oh, yes... before I forget... anything in _italics_ in this chapter represents thoughts.**

**Also, I neither own the characters of this story (except my OC's) nor am I making a profit from this fanfic... now, on with the show!**

**Chapter 5:**

**Neji's POV**

I blinked at the rag-tag bunch that was assembled outside of my bedroom door.

_They're kidding, right?_

I couldn't believe what I was being told. Or my ears were hearing what the blondhaired doofus was saying, but my brain was not comprehending _exactly _what he was suggesting. The aforementioned doofus was grinning at me like a cheshire cat that got the cream while waiting for my reply. I turned to the darkhaired boy next to him.

"Sasuke, mind translating for me?"

Sasuke smirked as the blond next to him sputtered indignantly.

"What do you mean by _that_?" he all but yelled in my ear. "Didn't you listen to a word I just said?"

"I try not to, Naruto." I began. "But it's a little difficult to do."

"Especially when you go around yelling like you do." the darkhaired boy behind Sasuke said.

"Shut the hell up, Sai!" Naruto yelled at him, poving Sai's point.

"Naruto is just showing the exuberance of youth!" Another darkhaired boy in a green spandex suit replied.

"No-one _asked _you, Lee!" I said.

The two teenagers at the back of the group had been largely ignored up until now. One had should length platinum-blond hair and dark eyes. He looked like he was about to bust a gut from suppressed laughter. The other had longer black hair tied in a pony tail at the nape of his neck and black eyes. His face (similar and yet very different to Sasuke and Sai's) had a disapproving frown on it. He shook his head at us and then spoke.

"As amusing as it is to watch you brats tauting each other, I didn't sign up to chaperone a pissy party!"

"_Brats?_" Naruto yelled.

_**Pissy **party?_

I glowered at him. The dark haired teen ignored me and turned to the blond doofus with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, brats. And **_you_**, Naruto, are the biggest one of the bunch!"

With that he turned back to Sasuke while Naruto seemed to choke on his indignation.

"Can we please get on with this, little brother?" He asked with a bored voice. "As I've mentioned, I have better things to do than babysit you lot all day."

Sasuke glared at his older brother.

"You don't have the right to order me about, Itachi!" Sasuke told him as Itachi raised an eyebrow at his words.

"Really?" Itachi drawled. "I was under the impression that you needed Shin and my help with your little plan. And here you all are wasting our precious time."

"You know, you _really_ should get a doctor to look at that stick you've got wedged up your ass, _big_ _brother_." Sasuke all but hissed, his eyes narrowed in anger. "It seems to be making you constipated. You should have it removed."

The blondhaired Shin stepped in before things got even _more _heated between the brothers.

"Chill out, little cousin!" Shin said, his hands raised in a placating manner. "Just do as your brother says. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can leave."

I turned to the guy who is the closest thing I have to a best friend.

"Yeah, Uchiha." I said. "Mind telling me what the hell you lot are doing in my house when I'm in time-out?"

"I believe the dobe already told you, Hyuuga." Sasuke said, turning to me.

"Would you mind repeating the message?"

"Fine." Sasuke grunted, crossing his arms over his chest as Naruto silently fumed beside him, which was a first for him. "We're here on a mission to 'liberate' you from your 'imprisonment'."

"'Liberate' me?" I frowned confused. "From my 'imprisonment'?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"You wanted to rehear the message, there it is."

"And _where _exactly are you taking me after my ''liberation", if I may ask?

"We'll be meeting the girls at the Mall." Sasuke answered with a roll of his eyes. "They've already kidnapped Hinata. They're waiting for us there."

_If you can call what that little blond idiot was doing **kidnapping**. _I considered. _It sounded more like a herd of elephants were running through the halls, trumpeting. I could hear her voice from the foyer, locked up in my room!_

"I've no problem with that." I began, turning to Naruto and Lee. "But why are _they _here?"

"Hey, it was _my _idea!" Naruto glared at me.

"And Lee overheard him telling Sai the plan." Sasuke sighed. "But then again, he _is _a loudmouthed idiot. Aren't you, dobe?"

"Shut UP, Teme!"

I turned to the two teens.

"And them?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow at me.

"I thought that would be obvious." he said snidely.

Neither he nor I said anything, so Shin continued.

"Well, none of you are of the age to drive." Shin said, pointing at his cousin. "_We_, on the other hand, are both over 16 and have our licenses. "

He suddenly gave a cheeky grin.

"Think of us a your get-away drivers."

"If my uncle finds out about this, there will be _**hell** _to pay!"

"He has already been informed of the situation." Itachi said loftily as he took out his car keys. "Now can we _go_? I tire of this."

I sighed.

"Just give me a sec." I said, closing the door.

This was going to be one **_hell_** of a long, **long **day.

* * *

**Naruto: **(_looking at Itachi_) You know, the teme's right. You really _do_ have a stick up your ass.  
**  
Itachi: **(_glares at Naruto with narrowed eyes_) Shut up, brat!

**Naruto: **(_mutters to himself_) Yep, really stuck up there!

**Itachi: **(_glowers fiercely at the blond_) I told you to shut UP! Geez, you're so annoying!

**Me: **(_standing up for Naruto_) Well, he_ is_ just an eleven year old boy.

**Lee: **(_Jumps right in there_) Yeah! Naruto is filled with the energy of youth!

**Itachi: **Shut up, you little insect! Nobody asked you! You're even _more _annoying than the blond doofus with your constant clamouring about youth!

_Lee visibly droops as I hold Naruto back from attacking Itachi._

**Neji and Sasuke:** (_glaring daggers at Itachi_) HEY! _**NOBODY** _DISSES MY FRIEND EXCEPT **_ME_**!

**Me: **(_Shuddering_) Oh geez...

_Sai smirks and starts sketching the approaching battle as the four boys surround Itachi._

**Shin: **(_Shakes head_) Please review.


	6. A surprising start to the year

**AN: Okay, sorry for those little fillers but I needed a little time to think about what to do next... and it just felt right to show what ther family was up to in Konoha, so that they didn't just drop off the face of the earth and suddenly return at a later date. For now it's back to the main character and what happens in her life at her school... Any _italics _are thoughts or flashbacks unless otherwise stated/implied. As per usual, I don't own anything of Naruto, nor do I incure any monetary value. This belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. However, I do own Yukiko and some other later characters! **

**Chapter 6**

Yukiko sat in her chosen seat, squirming with excitement. She had gotten up earlier than usual and had spoken to the headmaster of Suna Acadamy of Arts, Mr. Baki. She had then headed off to her first homeroom of the year in her new class as he had suggested, as school would be beginning soon and they would be heading to the first assembly after homeroom. As she waited, Yukiko's thoughts drifted back to the day before yesterday, to the meetning which had occured between her, her headmaster and her uncle.

**Flash back**

_Yukiko waited nervously next to her uncle in the little waiting room next to the headmaster's office. Soon the headmaster's secretary came into the waiting room._

"_Mr Baki will see you now, Mr Hyuuga." Miss Mizuki, the secretary said, turning and smiling at Yukiko. "You, too, Miss Hyuuga."_

_"Thank you." Hiashi said as he an Yukiko stood up and follwed the young woman into the large office of the headmaster._

_The headmaster, Mr Baki, was sitting behind his desk, reading a report. He looked up as the two Hyuuga's entered and rose to greet them. At 6'2 [**1**] he was an impressive sight to see, towering over the 5'8 form of Hiashi and dwarfing Yukiko. The two men shook hands._

_"Mr Hyuuga, a pleasure to see you." Mr Baki said in a deep, rough voice which instantly demanded a person's attention._

_"The pleasure's all mine." Hiashi answered with a small smile which the headmaster __returned._

_Mr Baki turned to Yukiko.  
_  
"_Hello, Yukiko._" _Mr Baki said kindly, smiling at the young girl. "You look worried."  
_  
_"Good morning, Mr Baki." Yukiko looked up at the tall man and smiled nervously. "I'm not worried, just nervous."_

_The principal laughed at this._

_"Yes, my height _does _have that effect on people. Especially children." He joked and gestured to his desk and the two guest-seats opposite his. "Shall we have a seat? Then we can get straight to business."_

_"Thank you." Hiashi said as he took one seat while Yukiko took the other._

_"I'll get straight to the point." Mr Baki said as he took his own seat behind the desk. "Miss Challis, Yukiko's homeroom teacher and the other grade 4 _[**2**] _teachers came to see me a few days before the end of the school year last year. The reason for their meeting- was Yukiko."_

_Yukiko's eyes widened in silent terror and Hiashi frowned slightly, but said nothing. Mr Baki watched the two in front of him carefully, monitoring their reactions._

"_They told me that Yukiko's grades are excellent. She constantly gets good marks, seldom getting even a B, and that her grade point average is a 3.9._[**3**]_" Mr Baki paused for a moment, letting the information sink in. "That being said, they feel grade 5 would be too easy for Yukiko. They have suggested that she skip that grade and go immediately to grade 6."  
_

_By this point, Yukiko's eyes were the size of saucers. Mr Baki had to hold in a chuckle at the look of surprise on their faces, as in that instant, even the stoic mask of the elder Hyuuga slipped and, for one brief second, he looked as if someone had hit him over the head with a frying pan. Then he blinked, and the shrewd businessman was back. The headmaster couldn't help but smile to himself. Whatever the two of them had expected, the man was sure that it wasn't this._

_"So, what you're saying" Hiashi said slowly, his brow furrowed slightly as he looked at the other man. "is that you want Yukiko to skip a grade?"_

_The principal nodded his head.  
__  
"Yes. I had a meeting with the grade 4 through 6 teachers the day before yesterday and they all said more or less the same thing. Yukiko is too smart for grade 5." He turned and smiled at the stunned 10 year old in front of him. "Even the grade 6 teachers agreed."_

_Yukiko continued to gape. She couldn't believe it. Here she thought she was about to be kicked out of school for something that she was not even aware of doing, only to be told that they wanted her to skp her next grade._

_**I'm not in trouble. **Yukiko sighed in relief._

_Then she felt the bubble of pride well up in her. They, the teachers and headmaster at Suna School of the Arts, thought she, Yukiko, was too smart for grade 5 and wanted her to go directly into grade 6! Yukko looked up at her uncle and saw he was frowning at the said head of the school and a feeling of forboding settled into her stomach. Her uncle was going to refuse._

_"Yukiko has not been taught the work necessary for her to be able to do the grade 6 work." Hiashi said carefully and Yukiko felt her happy little bubble burst._

_Mr Baki smiled slightly as he watched the child deflate, then returned his attention to her uncle. He knew that the man was considering the proposition, but he was consideing it with the mind of a businessman- looking at it from evey angle- and this was one of the shrewdest businessmen in the world. He would not give in until he was completely sold. He knew his niece was intelligent, he had been getting good remarks from the head and teachers alike for years, but he didn't want to push her into something that may be too difficult for the young girl, especially since she had yet to be taught the work which would form the foundation of the work which would be taught in grade 6. But, he didn't want his niece to stagnate in a year where the work was too easy for her either. He was obviously eyeing the hook. Now all Baki had to do was reel him in-one agonisingly small inch at a time._

_"The teachers have suggested that she be given remedial work."_

_"Remedial work?"_

_"To get her up to scratch with the rest of her classmates."_

_Hiashi's frown deepened._

_"I cannot expect the teachers and students to give up their free time to teach Yukiko."_

"_It'll only be for a short while." the headmaster hastened to assure him as Yukiko's heart sank. "Just until Yukiko has learnt enough to do the work and catch up to the others in her gade. And the teachers all love Yukiko. They all volunteered their services."_

_Hiashi nodded and Mr Baki smiled to himself._

_**Almost there. Now for the last tug.**_

_"As for students." He smiled at Yukiko. "I'll sure we can find one or two who would be **more **than happy to help."_

_Hiashi sighed and turned to his niece. He smiled at the eager young face which looked up at him, silently pleading with him to agree._

_"You really want this, don't you, Yoko?" he asked his niece._

_The enthusiastic nod was all the elder Hyuuga needed. The headmaster tried very hard not to smile as the man turned to him and sighed. The slight twist of the corners of the head's mouth was not lost on Hiashi and he offered a small smile of aquiecence of his own._

"_Very well. You make a very good case." the businessman began._

_He shot a look at the anxious face seated next to him as his niece and the headmaster waited for him to continue and he admitted defeat._

_I never **could **say no to either Yukiko or my daughters. Hiashi thought with a slightly disgusted shake of his head and smiled._

_"Alright. Yukiko can be moved up to grade 6." he finally aquieced._

_Yukiko shot her uncle a bright, relieved grin, her face shining with happiness, while Mr Baki gave him a more reserved, but no less relieved smile._

_"You won't regret this." Mr Baki said, leaning forward in his seat._

_"I have no doubt of that." Hiashi agreed, smiling at Yukiko as he stood. "Well, I think it's time we were going, I'm sure you have other pressing details to attend to, seeing as the school year starts soon."_

_"Indeed." Mr Baki agreed, standing and shaking Hiashi's hand. "Things have a way of catching us off-guard. I will now have to schedule a meeting with Yukiko's homeroom teacher to make sure that they are informed of her arrival and a mirad of other little details."_

_"Then we will detain you no longer." Hiashi said motioning to Yukiko. "Farewell."_

_"Good day to you, Mr Hyuuga."_

_"Goodbye, Mr Baki." Yukiko greeted her headmaster. "And thank you."_

_"Goodbye, Yukiko." Mr Baki greeted her back. "Come and see me before class on the first day of school to get your timetable and to see where your new homeroom will be."_

_"I will."_

_And with that Yukiko and her uncle left the head's office and returned to the hotel._

***End of flashback***

And so Yukiko now sat in her newly appointed class, waiting for the bell to ring and the rest of her classmates to arrive. Especially her best friend. Boy, she couldn't _wait_ to see the look on his face when he saw her in his homeroom!

_Driiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiing!_

Ah, there was the first bell of the morning now. Yukiko squirmed in her seat in quiet excitement as the other children started filing into the class. Most of the kids gave her curious glances but didn't say anything to her. Just then her sight was obstructed by a girl who was standing in front of her with one hand on her hip, the other holding up her books.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" the girl asked sarcastically. "Are you lost, little girl? I think you're in the wrong classroom. Your classroom is the floor _below _ours."

Yukiko frowned as the girl smirked as her cronies and some of the other kids in the glass twittered at what she said.

"Cut it out, Karin." Yukiko told the girl. "I'm not just some little kid for you to talk down to. And I _am _in the right classroom!"

Karin looked at Yukiko as if she had grown another head.

"Did you _hear_that!" one of Karin's cronies, Erin said. "This little 5th grader thinks she belongs in the same classroom as we of the 6th grade."

"Perhaps she should be taught a lesson in who's boss around here." Tsubaki, another one of Karin's cronies agreed.

"Perhaps you should shut up and sit down, you damn wench, you're blocking the road with your fat asses!" Another voice joined in.

The four girls turned as one to see a girl with chocolate brown eyes and dark brown hair. She glared at Karin, who glared right back at her.

"Well, if it isn't 'Li'l Ms China'!" Karin smirked. "How is life in the Panda exhibition, bunnikins?"

The newcomer looked as if Karin had force-fed her a lemon. Her anger came off her in waves of fury, causing Yukiko and many others around her to wince.

_Uh-oh_. Yukiko hastened to intervene.

"Ten-ten, just calm down." Yukiko told her friend.

"Yuki, be quiet." Ten-Ten answered her, then turned back to Karin with a smile so sickly sweet it gave Yukiko a toothache just looking at it, and so forced that it looked physically painful. "My life is fine, thanks for asking. But I think we need to phone farmer McDonald..."

"Farmer McDonald?" Karin looked confused.

"Huh? What're you talking about?"

"I think bunnikins' hair buns are done up too tightly, she's finally lost her mind."

Ten-Ten ignored Karin's cronies and continued to stare at their leader. She smirked.

"Yeah, I think I should give him a call... it seems that they forgot to milk one of their dairy cows." Ten-Ten's smirk grew wider as Karin's eyes widened as she perceived the intended insult. "Yeah, everyone knows that cows should be milked everyday, otherwise they get constipated."

There were one or two nervous giggles and chuckles when Ten-Ten finished speaking, but most of the children were frozen in shock as the temperature in the room dropped to near freezing in the semi-silence that followed, then-

"HOW **DARE **YOU?!" Erin and Tsubaki shrieked at Ten-Ten.

"YOU **BITCH!**" Karin screamed at the same time and swung her hand at Ten-Ten's face.

Yukiko shut her eyes and braced herself for a slap sound which never came. Opening her eyes, Yukiko saw that Karin's hand was suspended in midair, a few inches away from Ten-Ten's face. A pale-skinned boy with dark hair and eyes had his hand around Karin's wrist, effectively stopping her.

"I'm afraid I can't let you slap my cousin, Karin." the boy said. "Even if she _does_ deserve it every now and then."

"_Sai_!" Ten-Ten said indignantly as Sai chuckled.

"Let go of me!" Karin demanded, wrenching her wrist away from Sai. "You damn bastard!"

"**_WHAT DID YOU CALL HIM?!_**" Yukiko roared, getting out of her seat so fast that she knocked it over with a loud clatter. "What the _hell _is your bloody problem, you damn.."

"**Enough!**" An annoyed voice demanded.

Everyone turned to the owner of the voice to see a boy with blood red hair and sea-green eyes glaring at them as he walked over to the group. He kept his eyes on the little group of six as he addressed the class as a whole.

"Everyone back to your seats, the teacher will be here soon."

"Yes, class president." As one the other children returned to their seats, save the six pinned down by the boy's glare.

"Hi, Gaara!" Karin said with a grin.

Gaara's sea-green eyes fixed onto Karin's blue ones.

"Karin, what the hell do you think you're doing, creating a scene like this?" Gaara demanded coldly.

"It's not Karin's fault, Gaara!" Erin quickly interjected.

"Yeah, this little brat started it!" Tsubaki added.

"Say _WHAT_?!" Ten-Ten bellowed. "ARE YOU FREAKING _KIDDING _M-"

"Shut up, Ten-Ten." Gaara said.

Ten-Ten's mouth snapped shut at the authoritative tone in his voice and she turned to glare at him, but Gaara shot her a warning glance and returned his attention to a smirking Karin.

"I don't know who started this, and I _really_ don't care." Gaara told Karin. "But what I _do _care about, as the male student council representative of this class, is order."

Gaara's eyes darkened as his glare deepened and Karin shrank away from him slightly.

"Karin, what the _hell _do you think you were doing?" Gaara demanded. "As the female representative for this class and vice class president, you should know better."

"But Gaara..." Karin began.

"_No_ buts! You _should _know better." Gaara said firmly, turning his back on her. "Go back to your seat, Karin."

After being dismissed by the class president, Karin, Erin and Tsubaki had no choice but to obey. Gaara bent down and righted Yukiko's seat for her without a word, then turned to Sai and Ten-Ten, who were seated side by side behind them.

"As for you two, as our vice representatives, you, too, should know better than to rise to Karin's bait."

"_What _did you say?" Ten-Ten began as Gaara's brow furrowed again. "You don't even know what hap-mmf."

Sai clamped his hand over his cousin's mouth to shut her up.

"Mmm-mmmf! (Sai!)" Ten-Ten glared at him.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Sai hissed at her, then turned to smile at Gaara. "Yes, class president, I assure you it won't happen again."

"It better not." Gaara turned his back on them and took his seat next to Yukiko.

"Kiss-ass." Ten-Ten muttered under her breath. "Ow!"

Yukiko stifled a giggle as Sai kicked Ten-Ten under the table. Gaara sighed and shook his head slightly, then turned to the young girl next to him.

"So, Yukiko. What _are _you doing in this homeroom?" Gaara asked her quietly. "Shouldn't you be in the 5th grade class?"

"I've skipped a grade." Yukiko answered quietly. "I've been put directly into the 6th."

"What?" Gaara asked, startled.

Yukiko gave him a small smile.

"Surprise." She said weakly.

Gaara stared at her. Then he blinked. Yukiko watched him apprehensively, then narrowed her eyes as his shoulders started shaking. Was Gaara really...? Just at that moment, the homeroom teacher walked into the room and stopped, staring bemusedly at the scene in front of her. Gaara No Sabaku, the serious son of the Mayor of Suna, was actually _laughing_. Shaking her head, she walked to her desk as the class rose to their feet, Gaara still chortling.

_Well, I guess miracles will never cease...  
_

* * *

**A/N: **[**1**] I come from a country which uses the metric system, so I had to convert and round-off Hiashi and Baki's heights, which were 176.5cm and 188.2cm rspectively.

[**2**] We also use grades in our school system in my country, but we put the word and then the number, rather than the number and then the word as is done in the US. Also our system works thus- Grade R- 5-6, Grade 1- 6-7, Grade 2- 7-8, Grade 3- 8-9, Grade 4- 9-10, Grade 5- 10-11, Grade 6- 11-12 and Grade 7- 12-13. This is the end of primary school. Our high school grades carry on from there and in the same way, 8-12.

[**3**] We don't have a grade point average in our schools, or at least not the way it's done in the rest of the world. We use letters and percentages, but we don't convert them into a point system. Our system works A-F and 0-100% with all the marks being added up and formulated to give you your average percentage and symbol- eg. 60% average is a C symbol average. That said, I don't really know the GPA system or if it's even possible for Yukiko's GPA to be that high at such an age (she's 10). If not, could someone tell me, and I'll correct it immediately.

**Well, here is the next installment! Sorry it took so long, but I had some things to take care of... what with life and everything else... So, I hope you enjoy it. I realise that it is rather long, but I wanted to get all the drama behind me. So, I hope you enjoy... if anyone is still reading this...**

**Yukiko: **(_frowning_) Well, it's your fault for taking so damn long...

**Me: **(_rolls eyes_) Well, excuuuuuuuuse me for living.

**Ten-Ten:** Well, Yukiko _does _have a point... I mean you _have_ been working on this chapter for the last 2-3 _weeks_!

**Me: **Oh, come oooooooooooon! I had stuff to do, and I've been busy trying to get my muse to co-operate...

**Sai: **Well, it's your own fault for over working your poor muse.

**Me: **(_groans_) Not you too, Sai!

**Karin: **Anyway, could we just get on to the next chapter please? You know, the chapter all about _me_?

**Yukiko: **(_glares at Karin_) Where the _hell_ do you come with _that _shit?

**Gaara: **(_looks at Karin_) It's not _just_ about you, Karin. It's about _all _of us... and the fact that we used to all be friends.

**Karin: **(_looks slightly revolted_) Moi? Friends with the Panda over there? Don't make me laugh!

**Ten-Ten:** (_looks no less revolted_) Yeah, why on _earth _would I _ever _be friends with _that_?

**Karin: **(_smirks_) No need to get so jealous, bunnikins.

**Ten-Ten: **(_glares_) Why on _earth_ would _I_ be jealous of _you_?

**Karin: **Maybe because I'm prettier than you?

**Ten-Ten: **(_growls_) You better shut the hell up, firefly, before I bring out the bug spray!

_Sai grins and starts sketching, staring at Karin as he does so._

**Yukiko: **(_glances at Sai_) What the heck are you so happy about anyway...?

**Karin: **Yeah, and why the hell are you staring at me?

**Sai: **(_grins wider_) It's just that I needed your picture for my portfolio.

**Karin: **(_looks confused_) Huh? For your portfolio?

**Sai: **(_nods_) Yeah, I need to draw an animal, and with your cheeks puffed up like that, you look _just_ like a toad... so I thought I'd use _you _instead of a real toad...

_Silence for a heart beat, then..._

**Karin: **(_Chasing Sai_) I'LL KILL YOU!

**Y&T: **RUN, SAI, RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!

**Gaara: **(_shakes head_) Damn idiot, he seems to have a death wish...

**Me: **(_Sighs, then gets a thought_) Oh, yeah... sorry if Gaara and the rest seem a little OOC, but they're still kids and haven't yet experienced the factors which will make them change. That being said, they may still be slightly OCC, as this is the way I perceive them. Anyway, hope you enjoy the story... And don't forget to review!


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